Bloom
by crybaby-writes
Summary: COLLEGE AU / Zoom in on quirky, lovable artist, May, who devotes herself to the campus ice cream shop Omega Freeze, classwork, and bonds with the inhabitants of her co-ed dorm, where everyone has something...unique to offer. In particular, there's Drew: the rapturous, misunderstood thespian in need of a serious attitude check. Read on as they grow to love and learn from the other.


**Bloom** / one: _Arrival_

 **::. _May._ ::**

It felt trivial to have a ribbon in her hair. Too childish. The pink satin hung loosely from her ponytail, forming an aberration in the chestnut waterfall of her hair. May held up the hand mirror higher in the back, so the image appeared more clearly before her. She tilted her head to the left, then to the right, studying the way in which her hair swayed. With her free hand, she reached up to undo the knot of the ribbon, allowing her locks to fall in heaps around her shoulders.

May huffed as she set the smaller mirror down, focusing entirely on the full-length one on her door. Her body turned at a halfway angle, so she could look over her shoulder. Pout in effect. No, sexier. Too sexy. More subtle, like the "how to not look like a college freshman" article said.

Impossible.

"Hmm. My _aesthetic_ …." She whipped her body around, centimeters from the mirror. She pressed her face upon the looking glass, so close that her pupils needed to refocus. Her eyes, she noticed, appeared bluer when she fretted. In succession, her lids blinked, lashes fluttering like a cartoon fairy's. A giggle found its way through her lips, surprising her.

A sigh.

"No ribbon," May whispered to her reflection, studying the pink curve of her lips. Her tongue darted out to loosen up the corners of her mouth.

Chapped.

Before the hunt for lip balm could commence, a nasally pre-teen voice cried, "May, quit talkin' to yourself! Your roommate's gonna be so weirded out."

"Ugh." May twisted the doorknob to reveal her younger brother, who wore crossed arms and a teasing smirk. "Quit it, Max. You're making me even more nervous!"

"Sorry. I'm just trying to help, you know," Max said, not sounding sorry at all. "No one's gonna pick someone with multiple personalities."

"I do not have multiple personalities!" She made to shove him, but Max evaded her attempt and bounded across her carpet. He climbed onto her bed as she retorted, "Besides, roommates are assigned! She's stuck with me."

Max adjusted his Buddy Holly glasses. He could make anything look smug. "Poor Dawn."

"Dawn happens to like me! We've been texting non-stop since adding each other on Facebook. We have so much in common! Like, she designs clothes and I wear them! And we like all the same musicals. Oh, and did you know that our birthdays are only—"

"Twenty-two hours apart? Yes, you've mentioned it."

May smiled broadly, jogging over to Max and flopping next to him on the bed. "I can't help it. At least I'll have a friend if all else fails."

"C'mon. You'll make a ton of friends." Max peered over his sister's unmade comforter to gauge her reaction. They locked eyes. May's smile reduced to a small, humble one. These moments, tender and sacred in the privacy of her bedroom, in which they got along, were what she'd miss most about home.

"Anything's an improvement from your lack of a social life now, anyway."

Not that she'd admit it.

She flicked the tip of her brother's nose, dodging his counterattack as she paced her bedroom. "What was I looking for? Oh, yeah, chapstick!"

"No time!" May's mother chimed in, floating through the doorway. "We've got to get a move on. Freshman orientation starts in a few hours!"

"What?" May gasped, looking instinctively where her clock was before she packed it. "I…I've lost track of time! What am I supposed to do about my outfit?"

"Since when is it so important to dress up?" May's mother asked, gesturing for Max to get his shoes on. He begrudgingly complied, shuffling out the room.

"Dawn's a fashion major! What if she doesn't like what I'm wearing?"

"I thought you and Dawn have already been hitting it off? Besides, you look lovely. That top is adorable!"

"You think?" May closed the door behind the two of them. With access to the mirror, she squinted at her red blouse and navy pleated skirt. She had been ecstatic to find so many back-to-school bargains at the Petalburg Mall and thrift stores, but now she wondered if she'd strayed too far from her old, play-it-safe style. "But what about my hair? It's just…limp."

"Where's your ribbon?"

"I can't wear that. It's juvenile. I'm going to college, Mom!" May fussed, pulling at a lock of her hair.

"How about a headband?" her mom suggested.

"How about a headache?" May retorted.

"Be creative. You're an artist! Isn't that why we're paying thirty thousand a year on this place?" With that, her mother exited the room, urging her daughter to follow.

"Yeah, yeah…" Before leaving her room for good, May scanned over it. She bid a silent farewell to her unkempt sheets, empty half-open dresser drawers, slanted drawing desk, and the stuffed animals she couldn't fit in her two suitcases. For a heartbeat, a blistering wanderlust wracked her core. Oh, why couldn't she just take a gap year to travel? She didn't need college, not really. A liberal arts degree meant little in the creative arts field. But the partial scholarship seemed too good to pass up. Her family wanted this.

So maybe she could want this too.

As she turned to leave, an oversized, pinstriped paperclip caught her eye. She raised a delicate brow.

Maybe she could work with this.

 **::. _Drew._ ::**

The television barely fit through the door. Its cumbersome stature threw off the Feng Shui of the whole room. Drew imagined a stage where his entertainment station now resided, giving way to a set of twin beds and small wooden desks. His Xbox, Desktop, and not-so-mini fridge congregated by the flat-screen, leaving premature sitting space and a possible fire hazard. No one would buy tickets to this freak show. There wasn't any room for an audience.

Ash was going to hate him.

"Uh, Dad? I'm not sure all this is necessary."

"Are you kidding me?" Drew's father argued as he plugged a premium internet router into the nearest power strip. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and continued, "Look how decked out this place is! Could use some more floor space…. Should I alert the campus director? Maybe he'll grant you a bigger room."

Drew's eyes widened. "No."

"Get in the spirit, son. College only treats you well if you let it." The man's piercing green eyes, too much like Drew's, glinted. "Best four years of my life, you know."

"I know." Lest Drew forget the true star of the show, Dr. Hayden was always there to remind him.

"I met your mother at _University_ ," Dr. Hayden said, a ghost of a smile hinting at his features.

At this, Drew perked up, ignoring the implication of his father's particular word-choice. "Really? I never knew that."

"Of course. How do you think you came along?"

"Wait, what?"

"Drink responsibly, kid," Dr. Hayden warned, slapping his son on the back before stalking off.

Well if he wasn't sober already, Drew certainly was now.

"Er, bye. Thanks for the ride," Drew managed, saluting his father's retreating figure. It was only a half-hour drive, but he figured it would be better for him to leave on a nice note.

"Call if you need me," his father said in a very fatherly manner, then added as an afterthought, "Just try not to need me."

Before Drew could even think to respond, his father's heavy footsteps could be heard receding down the stairs. He exhaled deeply, allowing his frustrations to filter out of his body. At least he was alone now—

"Mom, would ya stop?! I _know_ how to do laundry!"

"Please, honey, just tell me again. I need to know if you'll be all right without me."

"Uhh…separate darks and lights, don't use the quick cycle even if I'm bored of waiting, and...somethin' about folding?"

"Fold immediately after drying, or you'll get creases. No respectable young man of mine is going to be walking around campus in wrinkled clothing!"

"Okay, okay, I hear ya, but what if I fall aslee—hey, look at all this stuff, Mom!"

"Hmm? Oh, my!" said a tall, middle-aged woman with a low ponytail of reddish hair. She looked around the dorm room, taking in the abundance of electronics until she spotted Drew. "Hello, dear! You must be Ashy's roommate. It's just wonderful to meet you!"

Drew rubbed the back of his neck. "And vice versa, ma'am."

"He has manners!" the woman squealed as she made her way over. "You could learn something from this one, Ash."

As he received a somewhat-awkward handshake from her, Drew looked to the boy in question. Ash was around his height – on the short side but not terribly so. He had jet black hair that would probably jut out in several directions if it wasn't stifled by a backwards trucker cap. He was dressed like a skater with his baggy jeans and graphic tee, but his rambunctious demeanor suggested he'd never stepped foot on a board.

As Ash's mother busied herself with setting up her son's bed (complete with comic-book inspired sheets and comforters), Drew cleared his throat.

"Sorry about…well, all this." Drew gesticulated at the extravagant entertainment system. "It wasn't my idea to bring that stuff."

"What are you sorry for?" Ash piped up, admiring the equipment with balled fists. "It's all so awesome! Man, I've never had an Xbox before! Can we use it?"

"Sure, yeah," Drew responded as a point of his personal contention loosened. Ash was impressed? Perhaps he didn't have so much to worry about, after all.

Ash's mother sighed, having finished dressing the bed in record time, discreetly brushing a teardrop from her cheekbone. The boys turned their attention to her when she declared, "I suppose I should leave you to it. Ash, honey, will you be okay here?"

" _Mom_ ," Ash complained, gaze flickering to look at Drew. "I'll be fine. I'm an adult now."

"He uses the term loosely," his mother muttered behind her palm to Drew, who chuckled to be polite.

"Are you crying?" Ash asked, just as his mother crushed him in an embrace. He returned it without a second's hesitation, wrapping his arms around her like he was afraid to let go. The exchange seemed so tender, too personal, that Drew forced himself to look away.

"I'll miss you," Drew heard Ash mumble, his voice muffled by the fabric of his mother's sweater.

"I'm just a plane ride away. Don't hesitate if you want me to come down for a little while," Ash's mother reassured him.

"I won't," he promised, apparently unaffected by sharing such a moment in front of a stranger. Drew took this as a sign that it was okay to observe them again. They weren't hugging anymore, but holding each other at arm's length. He remembered the way his mother held him, just like that. With a cringe, Drew shook off the thought.

"Well, I'm off. Goodbye, boys," Ash's mother said, addressing both Ash and Drew this time, for which the latter was grateful. "Have fun and study hard!"

Drew nodded as she walked out of the room, lulled by the clacking of her heels on the hardwood floors. He used to find such comfort in that sound.

"She's nice," Drew said to fill the silence, as if Ash didn't know.

"Yeah, Mom's the best," Ash agreed, tossing himself onto his bed. The coils squeaked like they needed to be oiled, but he paid them no heed. "She even baked us some cookies! They're over there."

Drew's eyes followed the area in which Ash pointed, finding a woven basket filled with what he assumed to be twelve varying types of baked goods. He drudged over to retrieve the basket and settled it at the foot of Ash's bed.

"Thanks, man," Ash said, devouring three cookies at once. Shortbread crumbs and chocolate frosting collected around his lips, inspiring a wrinkle of Drew's nose. Ash wiped his mouth with the back of his gloved hand, offering his roommate a pastry soon after.

"Err, no thanks," Drew declined, flicking a piece of hair from his forehead. "Not hungry."

"Not – what?" Ash squinted at Drew as he shoved yet another cookie into his mouth. He said as he chewed, "Wonder what that's like…."

So this was to be a common occurrence.

"Anyway, it's great to meet ya, Andrew! I'm Ash, by the way, although you probably already knew that," Ash stuck out his hand, similarly to how his mother did, for Drew to shake.

The latter hesitated to return the gesture, for he was stuck on being called by his full name.

Ash kept his hand in the air, oblivious to Drew's discomfort, when he added, "Hey, isn't it cool that our names both start with an 'A'? We can be, like, the double A battery roommates or something!"

As appealing as _that_ sounded, Drew dismissed Ash's hand and said, "Honestly, I prefer Drew."

"Oh," Ash said more quietly, like a deflating balloon. "Well, hey, that's cool, too! AD, like the history term…is that right?"

"Sure…" Drew stuffed his hands into his jean pockets, a futile attempt to diffuse the awkwardness. "I'm going to check out the dorm."

For a second Drew worried his roommate might offer to tag along, but Ash simply flipped onto his side and said, "All right, I'll catch you later, An…uh, Drew."

With that, Drew departed their room, taking it upon himself to tour the dormitory. The décor was simple: a large corkboard took residence on the wall by the stairs, some flyers were taped to open spaces, and everyone's rooms were behind unpainted wooden doors scattered up and down the hall.

Drew traveled along the walkway, observing the names on each door. The room across the way from his and Ash's belonged to a Gary and a Paul. Their names were framed by a railroad track theme, which must've been the creative touch of the dorm's residential advisor. He made a mental note to request a revision of the name on his own door. With a roll of his eyes, he realized he'd probably have to go through the week correcting people.

He shuffled over to the next room where a more conventionally feminine sign stood out to him. Unlike his, Ash's, Gary's, and Paul's, this sign was crafted from the lace one would find on a ballet shoe. He leaned in to get a good look at the names and was surprised to read, in glitter and glued-on gemstones, "Misty" and "Leaf".

Drew blinked. Those…were girl names, weren't they?

"Like my design?"

Drew jumped slightly, turning to discover the source of the voice. An older-looking girl – a junior, maybe even a senior – stood, smiling at his taken-aback reaction. He squared his shoulders as he took her in. She was taller than him, donning a tan dress, a waist-belt, and long pink hair. He glanced at the sign again, then back at the girl, putting the pieces together.

"Yeah, I suppose. Are you…?"

"I'm Solidad, one of your RAs. Did you just get here?" the girl asked, scrutinizing Drew in a way that should've made him uncomfortable, but for some reason did not. She was approachable, carrying herself with elegance.

"It's been a few minutes. My dad dropped me off," Drew explained. "I haven't even unpacked my things yet."

Solidad nodded. "Okay, that's fine. Listen, if you need any help, you can come to me or Cilan. He and I are across from each other – last two rooms down the hall."

"That's okay." Drew tossed his head, fixing his eyes on the room next to his. "I'm pretty independent."

"The offer stands." With more distance between them, Solidad called behind her, "Dorm meeting in my room at five. Don't forget!"

When he was sure she was gone, Drew made his way to the room between his and the bathroom. Another of Solidad's signs was on the door, this time encasing the names "Dawn" and "May".

Hmm. May was his favorite month – a time in which flowers bloomed. Cautiously, Drew traced the outline of the second name with his forefinger. A few particles of glitter came off on his finger, to which he scowled. Not bothering to check if anyone was around, Drew flicked the bits of dust off, turning swiftly on his heel.

His intent was not, by any means, to quite literally bump into another person.

Another person who had no inhibitions letting out a startled yelp.

Another person who, despite Drew's better instincts, had stellar oceanic eyes, winding him further than their abrupt contact already had.

In a defensive panic, Drew scoffed. "Why don't you watch where you're going?"

 **::. _May._ ::**

What…what just happened? One second she was strolling up the stairs, comparing celebrity crushes with Dawn (who would prove to be the sweetest roommate to ever grace the planet) and the next, some guy was…much too close for comfort?

Some guy who wore hair the color of a meadow – chartreuse green, kissed by the sun – with eyes to match.

Some guy who smelled too fragrant to be of the male species, as if he had been picked from the aforementioned meadow and thrust into her little liberal arts college dorm. His body was masked in simple clothes – a violet shirt with black stripes over blue trousers – and condescension.

 _Why don't you look where you're going?_

Ugh! That _tone_ – far too smug for her liking, like her brother's. It seeped through her pores, crawling beneath the surface of her skin. Who was this guy, anyway?

May couldn't help but wonder.…

"Wasn't it you who bumped into me?" she challenged, hands on hips.

"Please." The guy smirked like he was better than her, like he was never wrong about anything. "It's obvious you lack a sense of your surroundings."

A vein pulsed in each of May's temples. "Hey, who do you think you are? Now, you wait just a minute-!"

Before she could finish her threat, a palm made contact with her face. It was gentle so not to be assault, and lingered long enough to make it clear she was in his way. May felt the blood flow to her cheeks, dreading the idea that he could feel it too.

"The name's Drew," he said, retrieving his hand to flick his bangs. "If you must know."

"I don't!"

"But you do now." He laughed. "I happen to live here."

"Urgh!" May grunted, balling her hands into fists, prepared to throw one his way. That was when Drew's words set in. "Wait…you live here?"

"What's it to you?"

"Nothing, just…" May trailed off, pointing an accusatory finger to his chest. "You're a guy."

"Glad you noticed," Drew taunted with something just short of a cackle. "See? Your sensory perception is already improving. I must be rubbing off on you."

"You're so…" she scoffed, gesticulating madly, trying to find the right word. " _Insufferable_!"

"Ooh, big word for such a little girl." Okay, seriously, this must've been the third time he's flicked his hair.

"I – I'm…I am not a—" she stuttered, already fearing his reaction.

"There goes your diction." Drew shrugged. "I must've spoken too soon."

May, mentally spent on trying to counter this guy's attitude, turned her attention to Dawn. She was surprised to find her roommate vibrating where she stood, lips pressed together in a firm line until they met eyes. In Dawn's was something May had never known before – a certain sympathy, a shared pain, a heartfelt determination.

The spark of friendship.

"Dawn…" May whispered, but it fell on deaf ears.

"That's it, mister!" Dawn stepped forward on a heavy foot, resulting in a stomp that resonated around the hall. Her expression, now accompanied by a burning red tint, contorted in a fit of rage. Her blue eyebrows knitted together and her nose wrinkled in what May could only describe as bitter distaste. And yet, May struggled to grasp, _she still looked attractive_. What the hell?

"You've got another thing coming if you think you can mess with my girl here!" Dawn spat, piercing Drew's gaze with her own. He took a small step back, and a tiny thrill knocked on the door to May's heart. "If you're so keen on the idea that you're better than us, then why are you standing in front of _our_ room?"

In the time Dawn was chastising him, Drew seemed prepared to fire something back, hands nonchalant in his pockets, back slouched upon the wooden surface behind him, until he realized whose door he was leaning upon. May couldn't place the change in his demeanor – his mouth slacked a small amount, as if he'd recognized some impossible mistake. His eyes flickered from Dawn's to hers, where they stayed for an elongated moment. May shrunk a little in response, fingers reaching to adjust the paperclip in her hair.

"That means…you're May?"

"Um…yeah?" May placed a hand on Dawn's arm, which still quivered angrily. "So what?"

"Nothing, it's just…" he trailed off, reclaiming his sense of mystery. The corner of his lips turned upward as he said, "That's a pretty name."

In a second, May's anger dwindled and the blush on her face was one of modesty. "Oh, well, thank you, Drew."

Dawn, still confused about Drew's behavioral shift, sent her roommate an incredulous look. May returned it with an equally confused and somewhat defensive shrug.

"Catch you girls at the meeting." Drew kicked the wall behind him for momentum, walking off and out of sight.

May watched him as he left, curious about the swagger in his step and the unease between his shoulder blades. That promise to meet again, though unassuming, left a sense of longing in its wake. She pressed a hand to her chest, clinging to the fabric there. How could a person get her so fired up one second, and utterly powerless the next?

Before May could dwell any further, Dawn knocked her out of her stupor as she noisily jiggled the room key into its accompanying lock. "What a jerk," she complained as the door opened. She pushed her way inside, signaling for May to follow.

"Yeah. Totally…" May sighed, trotting over to her bed. She had dressed it, complete with floral sheets and a dozen stuffed animals, just before her family left. As she took a seat, hugging one of her pillows, May watched Dawn tug her cell phone from its changer. The blue-haired girl tapped the screen for a few moments, paying slight attention to where she began walking.

A flimsy weight shuffled the coils of May's bed. Dawn crossed her legs – which May wouldn't help but notice were clad in some fabulous black and white knee-highs – and presented her phone under May's nose. "D'you have an Instagram?"

May's eyes blinked at first, but then lit up entirely. "Oh, yeah, it's my favorite app!" she said with glee, taking Dawn's phone and entering her username in the search bar. After a lagged beat, thanks to the cheap campus Wi-Fi, the words "May Maple" framed by two art emojis appeared.

Dawn leaned over her roommate's shoulder, intervening quickly to tap the "follow" box next to May's description. In a flash, it went from blue to green. May giggled in thanks before scrolling down the gallery, enlarging some of her favorite works. Dawn's accompanying "oohs," "aahs," and variations of "Don't tell me you painted that!" inflamed an unfamiliar sense of pride in May. It's possible she got accepted into art school for a reason….

"Okay, I really love this one," Dawn said, reaching over to tap on one of May's less-favorite pieces. A conglomeration of flowers, some illustrated and some painted, took residence on the screen. They were outlined in white gel and pressed against a toned background, which was an easy way to make the colors pop, but May always felt something was missing.

"You think so?"

"Of course!" Dawn said, double tapping the picture to add another like. May's heart swelled at the gesture, but it wasn't enough to change how she felt.

"I don't know…I almost didn't upload this one," May admitted, paying close attention to the curving of the lines, the light source and its accompanying shadows. "There's something missing. I try to make my art really come alive on the page, you know? I guess I had no inspiration at the time, and it shows."

"Ah, come on!" Dawn remarked. "That's the curse of an artist – you guys are always too hard on yourselves."

"Don't you consider yourself an artist?" May asked, looking around for her own phone. It was an older model than Dawn's, but could still download applications. She pulled up Instagram as she continued, "I mean, you design clothing. That sounds like art to me."

"I guess I haven't really thought much of what to call it," Dawn said, going through the motions of before with her username. She took the liberty of following herself from May's account before handing the phone back. May scanned over her roommate's description, where she found a string of all the fashion emojis, and headed straight for the gallery. Among the many selfies, mostly of Dawn modeling her work, there were sketches and even watercolor paintings of her designs.

"Oh my god, these are great! I just love everything!" May exclaimed, following up with a spam of likes.

Dawn laughed as her phone buzzed with dozens of notifications. "Hey, I'm no you in the art department, but I do like fleshing out designs!" Her fingers flitted across her phone, trying to match the pace of May's "like" spree with one of her own.

They lost track of time this way, scraping the bottom of the barrel with their likes. May finished a split second before her roommate, jumping from her bed in victory. "Ha! I win."

"Aww, no fair! Your hand is skilled from all that drawing." Dawn pressed her phone to her chest, laying all the way back on May's bed. From her horizontal position, her vision had full access to the ceiling. She noticed a cluster of glow-in-the-dark decals, all varying shapes of stars, surrounding a larger crescent moon. "Ooh, I love these."

"Hm?" May's eyes followed where Dawn pointed. "Ah, the galaxy! Yeah, I like to watch them sometimes, before I fall asleep. They remind me of something much…much bigger than us, you know?"

Dawn nodded, smiling. "I get that."

"Do you want some?" May asked shyly, rifling through her desk drawer. She turned just as Dawn sat up, offering a small, unopened box of the decals. "I bought an extra, just in case you were into them."

"May, you're so sweet. Thank you!" Dawn gingerly took the box from May and skipped to her side of the room. She turned briefly and with a charming wink, exclaimed, "I think we'll be great friends, you and me."

May exhaled through a cheesy grin, sputtering to formulate an equally kind response. "I…feel the same," she said, watching as Dawn hopped onto her own bed, attempting to stick the decals on the ceiling above her. Her arms weren't long enough to reach, even if she stood on her toes.

"How tall are you?" Dawn asked, crossing her arms.

"Like…5'3"?"

"Girl, you're shorter than me! How'd you get your stars up there?"

"My dad helped." May shrugged sheepishly. She and her family had apparently not been late at all, getting there over an hour before Dawn.

Dawn snapped. "That's it! I know what we need."

"A crane?"

"A _boy_."

"Oh..." May raised an eyebrow as her roommate dashed out the door. She shook her head, already able to tell that when Dawn got an idea in her head, she wouldn't back down until it happened. That was perhaps a quality May could gain from her.

It was then that Dawn's words resonated with May. _A boy_. She had no idea the dorms would be co-ed. Not that it was wrong or anything, oh no, boys were fine…but, in her living space? While she wore pajamas? Took showers? May felt a pit form in her stomach. She'd have to take showers while guys could easily have access to the bathroom? What if one of them walked in on her naked? What a horrifying thought!

May darted out the door, making a beeline to scope out the bathroom. She found it immediately at the end of the hall, opposite the stairs. She peeked her head through the open door, cautious of others who might've been in there. Seeming to be alone, May strolled inside, noting two stalls, two sinks, and two showers. She reached out to grasp the synthetic curtain, realizing with dread that she could see the blurred outline of her hand through the other side.

"Perfect," she muttered, endeavoring her heart to still as it accelerated. Being around other people, especially guys, wasn't really her thing. Preferring always to keep to herself, May spent most of her time developing her art skills. So while she had an impressive portfolio, was short on social experience.

Shaking off these thoughts, May tiptoed over to the sinks, about to check her hair in the mirror. Suddenly, the jolting sound of a toilet flushing ricocheted throughout the confined space, eliciting a startled yelp from May. "Uhh, hello?"

A moment passed and May thought of running, but ugh, she couldn't! The person already heard her speak…and was now opening the stall door, stepping out with a dumbfounded expression, inquiring, "Is…something wrong?"

"No, no, everything is fine!" May waved, smiling nervously. Relieved it was a girl who came out, she followed with, "My name is May."

The girl raised an eyebrow as her lips quirked up to one side. Her brown hair was longer than Dawn's, but not quite as shiny. Her eyes were a similar shade to her hair, only richer, like barely sweetened coffee. May didn't know whether to offer her hand or hug her or what. There was something untouchable about this girl, a wave of mystery that screamed, "Too cool for contact."

The girl brushed past May to use one of the sinks. She pumped a dollop of liquid soap on her hand, caught May's gaze in the mirror, and finally said, "I'm Leaf. Leaf Greene."

"Leaf?" May repeated before she could think about it. She didn't even know that _could_ be a name.

"I know it's kind of dumb," Leaf admitted, though she sounded unapologetic, continuing to scrub her hands.

"That's not what I meant!" May justified herself, blushing. "It's nice, actually. Unique."

Leaf made a noise that was between a grunt and a chuckle. She used her elbow to free a paper towel from the dispenser and dried her hands in a thorough-looking manner. Despite May's previous inkling, Leaf extended her hand, adorned with several rings and a finger tattoo to match her name, in May's direction.

May eagerly accepted the gesture, shaking Leaf's hand with a fervor that might've been off-putting to others, but was apparently okay with her.

"You're chill, May," Leaf said, to May's great relief. "Are you done in here?"

"One sec." May whipped around to face the mirror again, adjusting the paper clip in her bangs. "All good to go!"

Leaf was already making her way out, but May was quick to follow.

"So, where do you live?" May asked when she caught up. Leaf cocked her head in the direction of the room across from hers. They'd probably be seeing a lot of each other, then….

"Right there, with Misty. You guys meet?"

"Not yet," May replied. "But I heard something about a meeting?"

"Like an icebreaker? What, are we in grade school or some shit?" Leaf complained, twirling a lock of her hair. May was taken aback by the girl's vulgarity – and how it sounded almost _pretty_ in her voice. She spoke like a wind chime sang, buoyant and clear.

"I don't know...it might be a good way to get to know everyone!" May tried, always harboring a positive outlook on things. When Leaf didn't respond, May looked around for a distraction. Out of the corner of her eye, May saw Dawn and another guy strolling out of their room. She was faking a laugh at something he said, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. The guy wiggled his eyebrows as he tried to woo her, running a hand through his spiky brown hair. "Hey, look, that's my roommate Dawn!"

"Blue hair?" Leaf asked for confirmation and May nodded, dragging her new acquaintance over to them.

"Hey, Dawn! Sorry to interrupt, but this is Leaf." May gestured to the girl in question. "She lives across from us!"

"Hi!" Dawn greeted in a bubbly tone, reaching out to shake Leaf's hand.

"Pleasure," Leaf drawled, glancing from Dawn to the guy standing beside her.

"Pleasure's all mine," the guy said, encroaching in Leaf's space. "Leaf, was it? Like the plant?"

"Oh my god, I do believe I've never heard that one before!" Leaf gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. She neglected to return his handshake, but didn't back away from his closeness either.

"A sarcastic one, I see," the guy teased, crossing his arms. "Whaddya think of that, Dawn?"

"Aww come on, Gary. Give the girl a break!" Dawn chastised, returning her attention to Leaf. "Love the hat."

"Thanks, dude," Leaf said, then tapped her chin in mockingly deep thought. "Huh. Gary? Like the snail?"

May suppressed a laugh, roused by the exchange. She elbowed Dawn, who elbowed her back in delight, leaning over to whisper, "Looks like we're in for an entertaining semester."

In a bold gesture, May hooked her arm through Dawn's, whispering in return, "Looks like you're right."


End file.
